Visual automatic-setback annunciator.



L. STEPHENS. VISUAL AUTOMATIC SETBACK ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I0| I914.

1,234,5M, Patented July 24,- 19117.

pnrrn s ra rne an m LEE STEPHENS, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN H. GREER, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

VISUAL AUTOMATIC-SETBACK ANNUNCIATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 191%.

Application filed August 10, 1914. Serial No. 856,132.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEE STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort l/Vorth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Visual Automatic-Setback Annunciators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic set back annunciators, and more particularly to visual annunciators, and the object is to provide a simple operating mechanism which will act with certainty and precision and which is provided with indicators or needles which will be positively positioned and rigidly held in position for indicating purposes. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the back of aboard, showing the actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the needles or indicators, showing the position of the needle relative to the numbers on the board. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the board, taken substantially on the line wa of Fig. 1 and showing the actuating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a pair of solenoids, which may be used instead of the magnets shown in the previous views.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The mechanism is mounted on a board 1 which may be mounted at any convenient place. A magnet 2 is mounted on the board 1 by means of a block 3 to which the magnet is attached. A rocker shaft 4 is mounted on the board 1 by means of brackets 5. The shaft 4 carries needles or looking devices 6 and 7 which may be rigidly and adjustably attached to the shaft 4 by set screws 7. The indicator 8 is mounted on a pivot post 9 which is journaled in the board 1. The outer end 10 of the post or shaft 9 is enlarged and a lever 11 is adjustable and rigidly connected to the shaft 9 by means of running the lever through the post and holding the same in fixed position by a set screw 12. The lever 11 carries a keeper or armature 13 suspended between two magnets 14 and 15. The magnets 14 and 15 are mounted on the board 1 by means of blocks 16 which are attached to the board 1. The magnets are attached to the blocks 14 and 15 by making the cores 17 of the magnets long enough to project through the magnets and into the blocks 14 and 15 and then securing the blocks to the board by set screws 18. The lever 11 is thus pivotally mounted with the keeper 13 suspended between the magnets. The lever 11 is provided with a counter-weight 19 which may be adjusted on the lever until it is properly balanced. The lever N projects up between the needles 6 and 7 which are used for locking the lever in position to hold the indicator 8 011 the desired number. The needles 6 and 7 are rigid on the shaft 4 and the indicator 8 and the lever 11 are rigid with the shaft 10 and 9.

The mechanism above described is operated by a suitable battery 20. A wire 21 connects the negative pole of the battery 20 with the magnet 2 and a wire 22 connects the magnet 2 with a series of push buttons 23 and 24. The positive pole of the battery 20 is connected to the terminals of the magnets 14 and 15 by a wire 32. Each push button is connected to one of the magnets,push button 23 being connected to magnet 15 by a wire 25 and push button 24 being connected to magnet 14 by wire 26.

In operation the circuit is closed by a push button. It is necessary that the shaft 4 be rocked before the lever 11 is moved. For this reason the armature 27 which is carried by the lever 28 is placed closer to the core of magnet 2 than the armature 13 is to the cores 17. The lever 28 is rigid with shaft 4. A push on button 23 will close a circuit. The magnets 2 and 15 will be energized, the magnet 2 being energized first. The shaft 4 will rock and lift the needles 6 and 7 out of the path of the lever 11 and the lever 11 will be moved by the magnet 15 and pass below and outside of the needle 6. Instantly when the push button 23 is released, the needle 6 will drop to normal position and thus lock the lever 11 outside of the needle 6. The lever 11 will thus hold the indicator 8 pointing to the desired number on the board. The indicator will continue to point toward the number until the next push button is actuated, or the needles 6 and 7 can be raised by some mechanical de vice so that the indicator will move back to its normal position. Only one indicator is shown. It is apparent that any number of indicators can be mounted on the board 1 and operated in the same manner. It is apparent that the indicator can be set back to normal position automatically by leaving the indicator pointing to the last number used and pushing the next button which indicates the room from which a call is coming.

One of'the advantages of this invention is the provision for mounting the indicating device rigidly on the shaft and then providing magnets on the backof "the board for actuating a lever which 'actuates the shaft to turn the indicator, the lever being also rigid with the actuating shaft. In this manner a large needle or indicator ca'nbe used and which can be seen at considerable distance from the instrument or board and wide sweep can be given the indicator. With such provisionlarge letters or'figures can be used so that they can be seen at a distance from the board. 7

Instead of the magnets previously described for 'operatingthe indicator, curved solenoids 30 with'movable c0res'31 may be used to actuate the armature '13.

What I claim is,-

1. A visual annunciator comprising "a board, a shaft journaled in saidboard, an indicator rigid with said shaft in front of said board, a magnetically controlled lever rigid with said shaft in the rearof said board, and an electrically controlled member provided with adjustable needles for holding said lev'rin differerit'positicinsi 2. A visual annunciator comprising a board, a shaft journaled in said board, an indicator rigid with said shaft in front of said board, a magnetically controlled-lever rigid with said shaft in the rear "of "said board, and means for holding said lever in different positions consisting of a rocker shaft, a lever rigid with'saicl rocker shaft and carrying an armature, a magnet'for actuating 'said lever, and regulating members rigidly adjust-able on said rocker shaft for controlling the position of 'said first mentioned lever.

3. A visual annu'nciator comprising a board, a shaft journaled insaid board, an indicator rigid with said "shaft in front of said board,a magnetically controlled lever rigid witlr's'aitl shaft in therear of said board, a rocker shaft provided with ad 'justable' controlling {members for holding said lever in different positions, electrical devices for opera-ting said rocker shaft and said lever, and a push button forstarting the operation of said electrical devices,

In testimo'nywhereo'f, I setmy hand, in V the presencefof two witnesses, this '3lst day of July, 1914. 7 e

LEE STEPHENS. lVitnesses:

A. L. JAoKsoN, A; N. EvA'Ns.

cdiiis 6: this patent inay'te obtained for me Ems each, 115, 'a'cidtessiiig the Gomini ssioxier of Patents,

Washington, ED. 01 

